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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 4 March 2020

Trump says he spoke to a Taliban leader, had 'good talk'

By DEB RIECHMANN Khalilzad, the U.S. envoy
Associated Press who negotiated the deal.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- According to the state-
dent Donald Trump con- ment, the phone con-
firmed Tuesday that he versation was about how
spoke on the phone to a both sides will implement
Taliban leader, making him the agreement. Baradar
the first U.S. president be- assured Trump that if the
lieved to ever speak direct- United States honored the
ly with the militant group agreement, then the U.S.
that harbored al-Qaida be- and the Taliban will have
fore the 9/11 attacks and is "positive bilateral relations,"
responsible for the deaths the statement said.
of thousands of U.S. troops The statement said the
in nearly 19 years of fighting Taliban leader told Trump:
in Afghanistan. "Mr. President! Take deter-
"We had a very good con- mined actions in regards to
versation with the leader the withdrawal of foreign
of the Taliban today, and forces from Afghanistan
they're looking to get this and do not allow anyone
ended, and we're looking to take actions that violate
to get it ended. I think we the terms of the agreement
all have a very common thus embroiling you even
interest," Trump said. "We further in this prolonged
had, actually, a very good war."
talk with the leader of the The White House provided
Taliban." no additional details about
Tuesday's call, which the what was said on the call.
Taliban said lasted 35 min- In the past, people have
utes, came days after the wrongly believed that Presi-
United States and the Tal- President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he leaves the White House, Tuesday, March 3, dent Ronald Reagan had a
iban signed an agreement 2020, in Washington, to visit the National Institutes of Health's Vaccine Research Center in Bethes- meeting with the Taliban. In
calling for the withdrawal of da, Md. 1983, Reagan hosted five
American troops — allow- Associated Press "Afghan freedom fighters"
ing Trump to make prog- in the Oval Office. At the
ress on a key campaign lence. They'd like to cease in Oslo, Norway. But so far Trump said it's still unclear time, the U.S. was backing
pledge to extract the U.S. violence also." there's no confirmation what the Afghans will do these Afghan fighters bat-
from what he calls "endless Secretary of State Mike that important next step when and if they sit with tling the Soviet Union. The
wars" and paving the way Pompeo witnessed the will take place. The U.S. the Taliban and attempt to Taliban was not formed un-
for all-Afghan talks to begin agreement, which was withdrawal is not tied to draft a peaceful political til the 1990s.
on Tuesday. signed last Saturday in Afghanistan's warring sides future for the nation. In the 1980s, the U.S. was
Trump suggested the Doha, Qatar, by chief ne- figuring out how to talk to "The country really has to among those who encour-
phone call was not his first. gotiators from the two sides. each other, let alone com- get it ended. We've been aged hundreds of Arab
Asked if Tuesday was his first According to the deal, ing to an agreement on there for 20 years. Other fighters to travel to Afghan-
conversation with a leader all 13,000 U.S. troops will what peace among them presidents have tried and istan to fight alongside the
of the Taliban, Trump said, "I leave Afghanistan within 14 will look like. they were unsuccessful," he Afghan mujahedeen, or
don't want to say that." months if the Taliban meet Already there are hurdles. said. holy warriors, against the
Earlier, Taliban spokesman their obligations to Ameri- Afghan President Ashraf In addition to the tweet, Soviet Union's forces there.
Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted ca. Those promises are tied Ghani has refused to re- the Afghan Taliban also re- Today, many of those fight-
that the president had spo- to fighting terrorism, pre- lease up to 5,000 Taliban leased a statement, saying ers make up the Taliban
ken on the phone with Mul- venting Afghanistan from prisoners, which the agree- the phone call took place leadership, while others are
lah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a becoming a haven for ter- ment said would hap- shortly after 9:30 a.m. EST. in power in the U.S.-backed
co-founder of the Taliban rorists, denouncing terrorist pen before the start of SITE Intelligence Group, Afghan government.
and head of their political groups, severing past links the so-called intra-Afghan which monitors communi- As the war came to a close
office in Qatar. with the likes of al-Qaida negotiations next week. cations from militant orga- in 1988, many of the Arab
"The relationship is very and helping fight the Islam- The Ghani administration nizations, said the Taliban fighters united to follow the
good that I have with the ic State group affiliate. claims those releases will statement claimed the call wealthy Saudi leader Osa-
mullah," Trump said. "We It also envisioned talks be- be part of negotiations. The was held in the presence ma bin Laden to create al-
had a good long conversa- tween Afghans on both Taliban are to release up to of a number of members Qaida, which orchestrated
tion today and, you know, sides of the conflict start- 1,000 Afghan government of the Taliban negotiating the attacks on the United
they want to cease the vio- ing March 10, most likely and military captives. committee and Zalmay States on Sept. 11, 2001. q